On Iowa by Marc Morehouse
Good luck, Jake
Posted on Aug 06, 2009 by Marc Morehouse.
This is something we all saw coming, but today it’s official — Jake Christensen is an Eastern Illinois Panther.
Christensen is eligible this season. The Panthers travel to Penn State on Oct. 10.
Here’s a story going into fall camp last season. Christensen spent a little time in the offseason working on mechanics, which, eventually, cost him his job.
Here’s as close as we ever came to an official explanation to why Rick Stanzi finally won out last season. Stanzi was more accurate, especially on the run.
I always thought Christensen was as polarizing a figure in Iowa sports as Steve Alford.
Media day tomorrow (Friday). Stories, video, a live chat Monday, photos — football without the football is here.
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Paul_W1
07. Aug, 2009
"always thought Christensen was as polarizing a figure in Iowa sports as Steve Alford."
Would you elaborate just a bit on that statement, please? I think I get what you mean, but not sure. Thanks.
enatlanta
07. Aug, 2009
Wow. From my experience it's difficult to find anyone who compares to the absolute disaster (or polarization) of Steve Alford at Iowa. I don't know anyone in my circle of Iowa friends or fans who can come up with anything good to say about Alford. I sure can't. On the other hand, I know very few (almost none) who don't wish Jake Christensen good luck. I don't think there's ever been a credible report of Jake not taking the right path in terms of being or acting like a team leader. These things happen in sports and Jake has taken his lumps the way one is supposed to. The other guy, on the other hand, let's hope we never see another one of those.
jason3kidd
07. Aug, 2009
I was one of the negative fans of Jake. While I feel he was a horrible fit here at Iowa, I wish him the absolute best in the future. I hope Eastern Illinois goes better for you than Iowa, Jake.
AdaminMiami
07. Aug, 2009
After the first few games last year, I was definately for Stanzi taking over the job. But the one thing that I have to give credit to Jake Christensen is he had enough class to keep his mouth shut about the situation and stand behind the team, no matter how many questions were raised to him by the media. He could have acted like Robert Marve did in Miami. Purdue, have fun with that guy! Thanks Jake, good luck with everything!
Jeebus
07. Aug, 2009
I don't think mechanics cost Jake his job. I think indecision cost him his job. He was absolutely paralyzed with indecision in the pocket. Often times, by the time he had decided to throw, the opportunity was lost.
MarcMorehouse
07. Aug, 2009
I think you're correct, but I think the indecision was more 2007 Jake. The inaccuracy was 2008. And from what Ken O'Keefe said, it ultimately cost him his job.
cmhawks99
07. Aug, 2009
Fast warding again to Jake C, I gave up my Hawkeye lounge subscription last summer as a result of the Iowa fans comments towards him and the staff.
If you easily “dislike” others without the scope of a mirror or personal introspection I’ve always felt that person’s thoughts hold little merit.
Chad
cmhawks99
07. Aug, 2009
This subject has always upset me so I’ll stay in check. But right of the bat if people don’t realize already how over the top many were of Jake then they never will.
The Alford situation was very similar & if no one has anything good to say about the Alfords then that says more about them than it does Steve or Tanya.
I don’t know Steve but I did see the fallout & heard from behind the scenes people and they were NEVER as critical as Iowa fans. Count me in the camp of those that will likely never be as big an Iowa b-ball fan as a result of what I saw out of our very own fans. I also see a little poetic retribution in our continual struggles there in all things including mass exodus. The piper always gets paid.
Chad
MarcMorehouse
07. Aug, 2009
Chad makes the statement better than I. Jake was an internet target, maybe more than anywhere else. But wait, I almost forgot he was booed at Kinnick a couple times, I think in 2007 and I know last season when he came in and threw an incompletion against one of the early opponents.
Do any of you guys remember the Jake Christensen website? Here's the link to something I wrote about it on the old site, http://marcmwm.wordpress.com/2008/09/24/couldnt-i...
Hate website, booed at Kinnick . . . some Iowa fans really let him have it. That was noticeable, wasn't it, the booing I mean?
MarcMorehouse
07. Aug, 2009
Great point, Jebus. I think that was Jake 2007, the indecision. It was paralyzing. His first thought was to not throw a bad pass. Last season, I think mechanics became the problem. O'Keefe laid it out, Stanzi throws better on the run. That's a big deal in Iowa's play-action game.
Jeebus
07. Aug, 2009
I never booed him or participated in a hate web-site but I will say this; When Stanzi was named the starter I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from the shoulders of this team.
It's obvious that many fans did not like Jake but more importantly, I think ,many of his teammates didn't like or trust him either and that is a killer for a football team.
cmhawks99
07. Aug, 2009
Marc,
You are dredging up bad memories. I have to remember not to be over the top with people who were over the top about others and that is a challenge for me. I remember that hate all to well, even with the Alford’s. Something’s are certainly acceptable when you are a public figure, but character assassination and attacks on family never are. Toss in a little booing of a 21 year old kid, giving his all (oh wait I forgot they were booing KF & KK) and you have some people who need someone to follow them around and be critical of their every step. In particular an event NOT of their doing and how they tried to help all parties involved. (PP)
Chad
cmhawks99
07. Aug, 2009
Well Jebus,
Considering the way that AJ Edds talked of him and seemed to have love and appreciation for him in an interview I’d say that seems inaccurate.
Chad
Jeebus
07. Aug, 2009
I think Edds said that Jake was the best impressionist on the team. My post may or may not be accurate as it applies to Mr. Edds but you didn't have to read too far between the lines to hear players lobbying for Stanzi last year. Word was that Jake wasn't terribly popular with his non-football classmates either. ____I'm not saying these things out of spite. I'm saying them because I'm trying to head off his canonization. The better QB won the job last year and now he's leaving. I don't blame him for it but I'm not going to praise him for it either. He was a model teammate last year during the season but this year…….not so much. ____I wish him good luck.
iheartfreedumb
07. Aug, 2009
I, for one, was disgusted when I heard JC6 booed by the home crowd. It was the worst thing I had seen from Hawkeye fans since KFs first couple years (I had student tickets during the 1-10 season in 1999).__Jake was simply the result of bad timing (no pun) and high expectations. He came in following the big let down season that was Tate's senior year, and he was touted to be a GREAT QB. So going into JCs first starting season he was expected to lead us back to the promised land. When the OL was cobbled together with duct tape due to injuies and youth, Jake had no one to protect him. That will give anyone happy feet when you have Linebacker U throwing everyone in the box (which was terrible because he had targets to throw to if he would have had some time).
PieceACandy
07. Aug, 2009
true that about Jake being hyped up big time. Without ever seeing the guy I thought he'd be a 6-6 stud based on the insane hype. At the same time, regardless of an O-line that struggled, Jake had happy feet in the pocket. He couldn't even scramble well, his feet were so jumpy. But thats more mental than physical. He just wasn't comfortable in the pocket.
iheartfreedumb
07. Aug, 2009
t just seemed like right off the bat fans were disappointed that he wasn't putting out Tim Tebow numbers, and as that LONG season dragged on everyone got hungry for something different. It's not that he was worse than Kyle McCann or Scott Mullen, we just didn't have the same aspirations for Jake.__So, good luck Jake. I hope you make Penn State wish they had never scheduled your "creampuff" team- – and at the same time you can make Hawkeye Nation realize what we lost.____That having been said… Stanzi is the Manzi, and Jake can watch us win in January.__GO HAWKS!
Oh, and no more booing, unless it's at the refs.
enatlanta
07. Aug, 2009
I hope my comments didn't lead to any conflagration of attitudes or hurt feelings when I attempted to put a distinction between the former basketball coach and the former QB. Iowa fans have, frankly, really not distinguished ourselves/themselves very well when it comes to QB 'approval/disapproval.' Go back to the booing of Matt Sherman or Kyle McCann – let alone Jake- and it's really a ding on a pretty fine reputation. There's simply no excuse or explanation for booing a college kid – especially one who is trying or playing through injury- who is struggling at QB. And there's especially no reason to do it if you're a fan of a program like Iowa's (especially Iowa's) where one of the tangible advantages can be simply being respectable and decent and appreciative of kids efforts who are in the program. That's not to say you don't groan or yell out in desperation or exasperation at a dropped ball or giving up on a play, etc.
I make it to Iowa City for games pretty regularly. I also know a little about games played outside the 'corridor' and, trust me, it's a lot better to have the reputation of benevolent and loyal than anything else. If you visit Iowa City from outside and find the fan's hammer on QBs 'just like everywhere else'… that's a program denting perception.
Maybe Jake was polarizing. My sense is/was Iowa football (including the fans) had a bad case of "Fat Cat-ism" set in. Just as we fans saw a sense of entitlement or whatever within some of the staff and players – Iowa fans took it for granted we were born into each season with 8 wins.
We started behaving scared and desperate. I thought Ferentz stuck with Jake longer and went further with him than any other coach in the country. I didn't agree with it. But I certainly appreciated it and it's one of the things that makes Ferentz unique and special to and at Iowa.
Anyway, too long of a ramble here, I'm glad Ricky Stanzi won the job. I'm glad Jake stuck with it and is getting another shot at writing another chapter in his QB story. I'm hopeful Iowa fans will roll will productive expressions of their/our football passions. (Yes, that's an underdog wish list…but that's part of our thing at Iowa.)
MetsFanVI
07. Aug, 2009
I guess the question of whether or not Jake is polarizing has been answered.
JamesMouton
07. Aug, 2009
I could not disagree more MetsFan!
MetsFanVI
07. Aug, 2009
James, you ignorant slut!
MetsFanVI
07. Aug, 2009
James you ignorant slut!
oldPete
07. Aug, 2009
I often wondered if Jake's performance was a product of his environment. Clearly, he would have had first-hand exposure to all the criticism of Drew in the film room, who threw a lot of good balls, but threw a lot of bad ones, too. So maybe he took a conservative path and would rather take a knee than throw an interception because he was just too cautious. But I also think the OL got a bad rap in '07, because every one of those knees registered as a sack, and it would have been just as easy to throw it out of bounds as take a sack. Stanzi just does not require as many seconds to release the ball. I hope Jake has a great future, because he was a very good kid.
cmhawks99
07. Aug, 2009
Well Jebus, I probably would have moved right on past you here but for this………”””I'm trying to head off his canonization”””””””
…….I don’t get this or why people are so bitter. I guess I get it because there is just a lot of bitterness in the world today if you aren’t looking in the right place.
The thing is though it doesn’t take much to realize that when a player (team leader who is respected by others mind you) pointedly brings up another player during conversation. A player who is no longer with the team!?!?! I do realize God blessed me with decent logic skills, but it doesn’t take a lot to realize he is missed, appreciated and respected. I’d say that says a ton!!
Chad
cmhawks99
07. Aug, 2009
Also if people don’t see and realize even in that short battle last year, Why KF and staff were hesitant then truly they just don’t want to see it. Lets just say I’m glad they aren’t our coaches and KF is. I agree I wish he’d pulled the plug sooner but now seeing what he knew I sure respect why he didn’t and I probably wouldn’t have either.
Chad
skaerbaekhawk
07. Aug, 2009
Didn't I read we have EIU on the non-conference schedule in 2010? Jake back in Kinnick, on the other side?? Can it be true? Marc, you must know the answer here.
As for Jake, I've heard from a few players that he was very well regarded, and especially respected for the way he handled losing out to Stanzi last year. The player I talked to (now in the NFL) fully blames his '07 struggles on an inexperienced/young OL – any one would have happy feet if they're going to get killed.
In any case, I think we all wish Jake luck, and we all think Stanzi is a great fit for our offense. He's proven worthy of the starting job.
At the end of the day, they're both kids out there doing their best playing a game, and they deserve our support in good times and bad.
cmhawks99
07. Aug, 2009
Great follow up post skaerbaekhawk,
To many show their true thoughts by immediately attaching a “but I have to believe he wasn’t……or “I heard he wasn’t that well liked by……….” to their other wise pleasant comments about Jake.
He had issues and growing pains for sure, but he was far from our only problem in 2007. Honestly I lost most any respect I had for much of the critics with the way they continually nit picked the coaches and personnel decisions without any semblance of perspective.
The DJK stuff was the best. Some even had fantastic flameouts in the “Lounge” because they were convinced the coaches were holding him back, yet in hindsight we see how wise they were.
Chad
MarcMorehouse
08. Aug, 2009
The booing at Kinnick and the website sealed "polarizing" for me.
I know the majority voice is supportive, but even if it was in the minority, there was a voice of discontent attached to Jake. Fair or not, it was there.